Steamboy (2004)

Steamboy (2004)

Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo
Writers: Sadayuki Murai
Katsuhiro Ôtomo
Rating: 2

English version voices:
Ray Steam (steamboy) = Anna Paquin
Edward Steam (the Dad) = Alfred Molina
Lloyd Steam (the Grandpa) = Patrick Stewart

Description from imdb:
In 1860s Britain, a boy inventor finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly conflict over a revolutionary advance in steam power.

Interesting trivia from imdb:
When Ray is walking through the city of Manchester at the beginning of the movie, for a few seconds Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels can be seen talking together on the street (Marx is the smaller one with white hair and beard; Engels is the taller one with the mustache). Both men were living in Britain at the time the film takes place.

Daddy has been steampunked!
My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): for the love of science (and technology)

Not the most engaging storyline as there is a weird meld of science and technology. Heavy opinions and preaching on science and technology also were a turn off.

But, I loved the animation. The gears and pulleys and levers and general steampunk feel was exciting to see. Worth watching for the visuals. Amazing steam castle!

According to wikipedia:
With an initial production cost of US$26,000,000, Steamboy is the most expensive full length Japanese animated movie made to date. Additionally, the film was in production for ten years and utilized more than 180,000 drawings and 440 CG cuts.

* part of The Hello Japan! mini-challenges hosted by In Spring It Is The Dawn, February Task - to appreciate Japanese film. I selected this film because I've enjoyed Japanese animation in the past and wanted to see the marriage of anime and steampunk.

*part of my Hello! Japan mini-challenges

If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews

If There Be Thorns
by V.C. Andrews

Genre: Horror
Published: 1990
Paperback: 384 pages
Rating: 2

Inspiration: Part 3 of the Dollanganger series. I'm in for more wacky horror. Also, I'm working on my VCA Challenge

Description from amazon.com:
Chris and Cathy made such a loving home for fourteen-year-old Jory -- so handsome, so gentle. And for Bart,who had such a dazzling imagination for a nine year old. Then the lights came on in the house next door. Soon the Old Lady in Black was there, watching them, guarded by her strange old butler. Soon she had Bart over for cookies and ice cream and asked him to call her "Grandmother".

And soon Bart's transformation began...

Fed by the hint of terrible things about his mother and father...leading him into shocking acts of violence.

Now while this little boy trembles on the edge of madness, his anguished parents await the climax to a horror that flowered in an attic long ago, a horror whose thorns are still wet with blood, still tipped with fire.

My thoughts:
In-a-word(s): Good golly, no more.
I was struggling through this reading which is my second read-through. When I read this way back when I really enjoyed it. Maybe I'm just not in the mood. Anyhoo, I got annoyed with how Cathy was acting. Also, Bart's brainwashing sessions with the butler was hard to read. I don't think I'll continue with this series. However, note that I did read the next two books when they came out so I'm not missing out. I vaguely remember them as being alright.

Flowers in the Attic (1987) movie

Flowers in the Attic (1987)
Director: Jeffrey Bloom
Based on book: Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
Rating: 2
Tagline: Home Sweet Home Is Murder

Inspiration:
Out of curiousity, I picked up the 1987 movie version of Flowers in the Attic at the library to compare to the book. I don't remember watching it when it came out so that was another incentive for me.

Although it is not an Academy Award winner it was interesting to see in IMDB that this film got some recognition in the movie world.

Louise Fletcher (played Grandmother)nominated in 1988 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress

Kristy Swanson (played Cathy)won in 1989 Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture

And, the sweetest treat of the movie is that V.C. Andrews made a cameo as a window washing maid.

My thoughts:

Per usual, the book was better than the movie. The screenplay picked up most of the elements of the book. However, it barely touched on the incest part which is what made the book so intrigueing to fans. I didn't like the casting for the Grandmother and Cathy. Both actresses are great but I envisioned the Grandmother older with waaay less makeup. And, Cathy should have been younger. Cathy was looking about the same age or even older than Chris in some scenes. The other beef I have with casting is that the Grandmother and Momma had helpers in keeping the children hidden i.e. the butler and the caretaker, so this went away from the book which emphasized the secrecy of the children.

On the flip side, the movie comes off alright for those who haven't read the book. The horror of a mother locking her children up in pursuit of money comes across well.

News flash: The Complete V.C. Andrews site (News page), states that there is deal in the works for the movie remake of Flowers in the Attic with a screenplay written by Andrew Neiderman aka VCA ghostwriter!

Fun fact: Also at The Complete V.C. Andrews site (Bio page), turns out that Flowers in the Attic was based on a true story after all!

Read my book review.